Nightmare Train
by Aretari Lirinen
Summary: Harry Potter is the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Ginny Weasley is the Care of Magical Creatures professor. Will they finally fall in love? And who has other plans? HP-GW. DISCONTINUED FOR NOW!
1. Prologue

A/N: Hmm…Second 'long run' fanfic, my first was kinda bad so I took it off, but this one's hopefully better! PS: don't worry, the title 'Nightmare Train' is referring to certain dreams Harry'll be having later on in the story (important plot twist!), it's got nothing to do with bad Ginny problems (winks).

Nightmare Train.

__

"I find it kinda funny,

I find it kinda sad,

The dreams in which I'm dying,

Are the best I've ever had." -The Dreams in Which I'm Dying.

Prologue:

The Boy Who Lived sat down in a squishy armchair by a dying fire in his small flat in Hogsmeade. His eyes narrowed, "The Boy Who Lived." He scoffed out loud. He always hated that title, always. But now he hated it even more since he was twenty years old. But then again, the prospect of 'The Man Who Lived' didn't exactly hold his appeal either. He never really understood it, why people fawned over him. It's not like _he_ defeated Voldemort the first time. Technically it was his mother and her love for him who 'saved the day' not him himself. All he really got from the ordeal was a scar, Parsletongue and some Slytherin qualities. Not to mention a reputation of a 'Hero'.

How he was a hero was beyond him. Sure, he'd battled Voldemort and won countless times, but he never actually defeated him. Hadn't he risen to power under Harry's nose and wreaked havoc on the wizarding world? After that he had dueled and prospered against Voldemort's Death Eaters, but the Dark Lord himself chose to remain hidden in the shadows, a Snake buried in it's lair. The threat he cast upon the people Harry loved most and the others around them still loomed high and filled with malice.

Harry didn't think that he _could_ defeat Voldemort. It wasn't like he was the most powerful wizard on Earth. Deep down however he knew that it would come down to him, knew that he was the one everyone was counting on to kill Voldemort and end the threat. Even Dumbledore believed so. So many responsibilities for a mere twenty year-old man.

Not only did he have the weight of the Dark Lord to handle, but he also had to balance his career. Which was not easy. Originally he had planned on becoming an Auror, like his best mate Ron Weasly had. He had strived for that even more so when his Godfather Sirius Black was killed at the hands of a Death Eater. His own cousin too, Bellatrix Lestrange.

But by his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he knew he couldn't. He couldn't leave his home. And his home was Hogwarts. He had never had any other home, and you couldn't count the Dursley's because that was more like a prison where he went insane with solitary confinement. He was extremely reluctant to leave and not come back as he had figured would happen.

However, he was thrilled to hear that the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for that year was resigning due to 'family affairs' and he went to Dumbledore with the matter straight away. Normally Harry would have had to attend University and get a Teacher's degree in order to teach there, but that part was pushed aside in his case. He had faced so many things to do with the Dark Arts that he automatically qualified. Albus Dumbledore had welcomed him as part of the staff with open arms.

And so it came to be that the next year he had been personally guided by the old wizard as to what a teacher should do exactly and he started the next term as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Potter.

It had taken some getting used to, calling his former teachers by their first names (especially Severus Snape) and having kids only one year his junior (many of which had been his friends or 'annoyances' such as Colin Creevey) call him "Professor Potter, sir". Beginning his teaching career as a nineteen year-old nervous wreck had been difficult, but so far he had mastered one full year and was pretty much used to it. He enjoyed it immensely and didn't regret his decision one bit.

As it happened, now he was sitting in his summer flat staring at flaming embers trying to accomplish his term plans for the forthcoming year. He didn't quite feel up to it however seeing how today _was_ his birthday. He was dead bored, so hence decided to pull on his black leather boots and head outside to enjoy a walk in the July sunlight.

But alas, it was not meant to be, as were several pleasant things the new Professor wanted. As he got up to walk to his porch he was stopped by a shout resounding from the dying flames behind.

"Harry!" It was a soft feminine voice that he recognized very well.

He turned around, agitated to see the faces of Hermione and Ron in his fireplace, both beaming at him from ear-to-ear.

'They have no right to be that happy.' he thought bitterly, but quickly regretted the thought. He forced a weary smile to play across his lips.

"Hello, guys." He said, turning full around to face them.

"Harry, mate, it's so great to see you again!" Ron said.

"Yes, you get to see all of me. But alas, I am reduced to seeing both of your heads floating in my fire place."

They all laughed at that, but Hermione quickly turned sober. "Harry, we're here for a reason you know! We just wanted to tell you that you're-"

"We're getting married Harry!" Ron blurted, receiving a scandalized look from Hermione. "We didn't tell you we were engaged 'cause we wanted to keep it a secret, but the wedding is next Wednesday…Get it Harry? WEDnesday!" he burst out laughing and Harry rolled his eyes.

"So I'm invited right?" He asked smiling, genuinely happy for his two best friends who had been together ever since seventh year.

"Of course, Harry!" Ron said. "Not only that, but would you be my best man?"

Harry was speechless for a moment. Ron had just asked him to be his best man at his wedding. _Him_. Harry had automatically figured it would be one of his many brothers, specifically Charlie, who would definitely not mess things up. He was truly honored.

"Of course I'll be your best man, Ron." He gave him a relaxed special smile that he only gave his two closest friends.

"Excellent!" Ron exclaimed.

Harry turned slightly to the left to face Hermione. "Who else is going to be there?"

Her face got that odd look she always got at school when she was doing work. "All of the Weasly brothers of course, and Arthur and Molly. My parents of course. You, Sheamus, Dean, Neville, Hagrid, all the Hogwarts staff minus Snape, Mr.Lupin and Ginny of course, who'll be my Bride's Maid. Then there'll be Lavender, Parvarti, and Luna in the bridal party. Sound good?"

Harry nodded, thoroughly pleased. "Definitely. I haven't seen any of them for so long, minus the Hogwarts staff."

Ron laughed a bit before saying, "Ginny's going to be there mate, good chance to get talking." he winked at his black haired friend.

Harry glared at him. "Ron, you know were just friends and barely even that anymore, seeing as how I rarely talk to her."

Now Hermione seemed agitated. "Oh Harry! You rarely talk to anyone anymore, and we're all so worried about you! You and I both know that that's not all you feel towards Ginny, admit it."

"Drop it 'Mione." he snarled.

"But-"

"Drop it!"

"Fine, we'll send you specific information about the wedding with Pigwidgeon and we'll expect you there. Good bye Harry."

If Ron had wanted to say something, Harry had no way to tell because Hermione must have grabbed him by the back of his collar because in the next second he was dragged out of the fire with a yelp after Hermione.

Harry no longer wanted that walk in the sun. He walked bitterly into his kitchen to grab a cup of soda. 'This is going to be one heck of a wedding.' he thought as he settled down in a wooden chair, pondering on what he might say to Ginny.

It would be hard, because he knew that she had stopped liking him the way he liked her now back in her fourth year of Hogwarts.

"Happy Birthday Harry Potter." He snarled to himself.

A/N: Review please and keep me motivated! (grins madly)!


	2. To Love and to Hold

A/N: Second chapter, THE WEDDING!…of Ron and Hermione. Ok, not so important chapter, but I wanted it in there!

Chapter One. To Love and to Hold.

"Ron!" Ginny Weasly ran up to her brother and gave him a huge hug. "I've missed you so much! Congratulations!"

Ron chuckled and hugged his sister back. Ginny hadn't been in the best of touch with anyone lately, she was so backed up with her job at the Ministry in the Care of Magical Creatures Department. No one had seen or heard much of the redhead for the past month, and she was becoming extremely lonely at not seeing her best friends and family.

"Thanks Gin." He said as he drew away from her smiling broadly. "Hermione's waiting for you in your old room. She has your dress, and do us all a favor by changing into it straight away." He stuck his nose up at her disheveled dirty robes.

She looked down in embarrassment. "Sorry, I had to deal with six Hinkypunks before I could get Davenport, the head of my department, to let me go. Dirty little creatures." She stuck her nose up in turn.

Ron laughed. "Well, get going. She's extremely anxious to see you. I, meanwhile, have to go say hello to Harry over there and direct him into his dress robes." He indicated with a jerk of his head to the handsome weary looking black haired bespectacled man tiredly making his way over to them. She froze and just stood there stupidly until Harry was standing beside her.

"Hey Ron," He said. "Ginny." He looked at her and briefly nodded his head, a visible brief look of pain crossing his face.

"Hello, Harry." Ginny said shyly. "Er…I have to go. 'Mione's waiting." And with that she took of at a half jog to the house.

They had decided to hold the wedding in the vast backyard of The Burrow. Half of it occupied the benches, alter, and pathway. The other half held the tables and food. Harry didn't know what it looked like, but knowing Ron and Hermione it was going to be spectacular. With lot's of bright colours.

"Come on Harry," he said grinning form ear to ear, "We have to get dressed. The wedding is in fifteen minutes." He grabbed his old friends' arm and dragged him into the Burrow, and up to the room he had housed as a kid.

* * *

Ginny stepped into her old room cautiously, and gasped at the woman she saw inside. Hermione had already put on her dress. It was made entirely of white silk, and it ran down her body elegantly hugging in all the right places. It was sleeveless and strapless. It fell normally and plain down to her bellybutton, but then chopped off into different jagged layers and pieces of silk all the way down to the end of her medium length train. She donned elbow length white lace gloves and her engagement ring. Her hair was straight and wavy resting on her shoulders with a wreath of small white flowers tangled around her head. A diamond necklace hung around her neck and diamond earrings hung from her ears. Her lips were ruby red.

Ginny couldn't believe it. Hermione was absolutely stunning. She had to admit that her friend was right now one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen.

"Oh, 'Mione!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together and rushing towards her friend. "You look….wow! Just wow!"

Hermione giggled and enveloped her friend into a huge hug. "Thanks gin! But don't worry, you will too, when _I'm_ done with you." She giggled again and shoved Ginny's dress into her hands, ushering her into a closet to change.

After Ginny put it on, she came back out and admired her self in the full length mirror positioned to the left of her bed. She looked amazing in the dress herself. Her dress was a light lavender colour and went fabulously with her fiery hair. It didn't have any shoulders, but came out in long flowing silken sleeves. Hermione got her to but on sandal pumps of a matching colour, pull out her hair and let it hang free and put on light pink colours of makeup.

By the time Hermione was done with her she really did look like 'wow'. Not nearly as beautiful as Hermione, but pretty stunning.

A short few minutes later, Hermione's dad Richard came into the room. "'Mione, it's time hunny."

Hermione smiled at her father and took his arm as Ginny rushed out of the room and down to the back door, waiting to walk out just before her friend. When they made it down, the rest of the Bride's Maids made there way out, one by one with small bouquets and sorts. Fred and George had lingered behind the rest of the Weasly brothers due to there position as Ring Bearers. Ginny walked out into the sunlight and smiled at the sight.

The aisle she was walking down was made of magically held together orange, red, and yellow roses. The benches were white with charmed carvings of writhing ivy vines. The alter was composed of one large circular platform with a small red carpet in the middle for the bride and groom. Surrounding the alter was a four beam structure of bamboo with flowing strips of multicolored silk.

Ginny smiled broadly as she looked up at her brother from halfway down the aisle, Fred and George in tow. He looked very handsome in a silken black wizards tuxedo with small charmed embroidered Gryffindor Lions Running along the cuffs and collar. We was standing anxiously and fidgeting back from one foot to the other biting his lip. She flicked her gaze to the right of him and felt her breath catch in her throat.

Harry was standing next to Ron in a dark blue silk dress suit. Although Bill and Charlie (Percy was still out of contact and there was little hope he would ever be again) were dressed in the same colour and style of suit, she didn't think it looked nearly as good with their red hair as it did with Harry's black hair that fell messily into his eyes.

She took him in full and _definitely _liked what she saw. He really did look handsome.

When Harry looked up and saw Ginny his feelings where (unbeknownst to him) in like of hers. He felt his pulse beat harder and could practically hear his pounding heart. 'She's so beautiful.' He thought as a smile curved his lips.

He turned to her as she fell in suit with the other girls beside where Hermione would stand and there eyes met briefly until Ginny blushed the famous Weasly blush and looked away. He turned back just in time to see Hermione walk out the door linked arm in arm with Richard Granger. Harry thought that she looked amazing but it was nothing compared to Ron's reaction.

His jaw visibly dropped as he gasped and stared wide-eyed at her as she came to stand beside him.

"Hey." She whispered to him, a sheepish grin forming on her ruby lips.

All he could manage was a nod, and the ceremony proceeded from there.

* * *

And hour later Harry was sitting, smiling broadly at Mrs. Hermione Weasly as she danced with Ron. He simply sat in a white chair by one of the numerous tables clad in rainbow table clothes, having eaten his fill, and talking to Dean, Neville, and Sheamus. They were in the middle of a conversation about Quidditch when Ginny came up to him and sat down.

"Hey Harry." She said smiling.

"Hey Gin." He smiled right back. "How have things been going at the Ministry?"

She made a face, "Not good. Especially now that Minister Fudge is lowering our pay rates. Not to mention the fact that I'm so swamped it's jeopardizing my sanity."

They both laughed, and as another slow song came on Harry stood up and extended his hand to hers, "Want to dance?"

She blushed a little and nodded, walking with him hand in hand out onto the little area where people were dancing. He slipped his arm around her waist and drew her in close. Her arms went around her neck and he suddenly found it hard to breath.

The song was over before they knew it and Harry smiled at her, then lightly kissed her cheek in friendly fashion. "Thanks Gin." That's all he said. That wasn't what he wanted to say, he wanted to tell her she was beautiful, wonderful, amazing. But the rational part of his brain told him 'Don't be stupid, she'll just say she's flattered and walk away.' He sighed and returned to the table where the three other men were now calling him over. Ginny was disappointed but let it pass. She would have her turn at him yet.

A/N: (sigh) don't we all want Harry to tell her his feelings? I'm sure it'll happen any time now. NOT!!! Heheh. Soon, my pretties, soon, soon.


	3. Welcome Back

A/N:UGH! I am SOOOO sorry I haven't updated for a bit. I have a worthy excuse! I have so far only gotten three reviews, so I can tell you, that isn't very inspiring. However, I have another long-run fic on the go. It's a Draco/Hermione, and I have about twenty reviews for that one. All of which good. So I am obviously in higher demand for it. So, as it happens, I am writing that and updated almost every single day. I _will_ continue this story only if my reviewers think it's worthy to do so. At any rate if I do continue, the updates might be a little slow. Thank anyways.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I am writing on a Windows '98, and something tells me J.K Rowling would use a better one.

Chapter Two:

Welcome Back.

An extremely grouchy and exhausted Harry crawled up the steps and yanked open the front doors of Hogwarts. It was a week before school began and he had arrived three days after the rest of the staff was supposed to. He marched up to his quarters and set his trunk down before heading into the staff room the grab a short supper before laying out his things for the year to come.

"Ah, Good Evening Professor Potter. We were wondering whether you were going to come back and join us at all this year." Professor Sprout greeted him merrily. The other Professors greeted him in like but all Harry did was give them a quick nod. He sat down and ate for about five minutes before he picked himself up from his chair and walked grouchily back out the door and stamped down the corridor. He hadn't seen Snape-erm, 'Severus'-at dinner, so that was a small consolation to his bad, beat-down mood. He had just managed to get up the stairs to the second floor and round the corner to his rooms when he crashed into a long, soft something. Or someone.

"Watch it!" He snapped angrily, but his angered expression suddenly became one of half horror, half bewilderment.

"Ginny?!" He cried in disbelief.

Ginny blushed furiously and rolled off of him before standing up. "It's Professor Weasley now." She said sheepishly as he pushed himself up to stand before her.

"Professor Weasley?" He gaped at her, unbelieving.

"Yeah, I'm the new Care of Magical Creatures Professor. I can't wait! I mean, I can't beat Hagrid or the things he brought in, but I hope I'll be good! At least my students wont have to deal with Blast Ended Skrewts." She paused to sigh. "Sure beats my hectic, held-up job at the Ministry working for Davenport and Fudge. Dumbledore is a much better employer."

"Wow, Gin! That's great!" He said and smiled. He tried to make his face seem friendly and sincerely glad, but in his head he was screaming. This definitely wasn't good. He'd be spending a lot of time with her now, and didn't know if he could stand it. Unrequited love can be a hard thing to endure.

'Thanks!" Then she frowned, "I have to go now though, I just put my things in my room, and I'm going to grab a light supper before I try my best to finish lesson plans for the third and first years. See you later Harry!"

She took off at a jog, leaving Harry stunned, worried, ecstatic, and rather lonely, standing in the corridor about fifteen meters from his rooms. And that got him thinking, 'The original Care of Magical Creatures teacher's quarters are just down the hall from mine. Hagrid never used them, but Grubbly-Plank did.' He outwardly groaned and finally finding his feet he walked the rest of the way to his rooms and sat down heavily on the couch. He wasn't yet up to outlaying his things. Maybe later.

* * *

Later came to be two days later. Two days of eating in his rooms and avoiding the girl…no woman…he loved. Wait, loved? Did he really love her? He wasn't sure, he knew that he had feelings for her but loving someone was serious. No matter, even if he did, he knew she didn't love him.

Finally, however he gave in and spread out his various belongings. His Firebolt, which he still had and rode, pictures of him and the other members of The Golden Trio (his now married best friends) and several other things.

When he was done he looked around at his deep red painted walls and comforters. 'Not to shabby' He thought with a smile. He sighed and walked out of the portrait hole of his quarters, deciding a short walk around the lake could help clear his jumbled thoughts.

He strode down the corridor, hands in his pockets, silently wishing that school would start so that he could have something to preoccupy his mind away from Ginny. Last year was (as you already know) his first year teaching, which put a lot of pressure on him, but what was worse was that his first year, was Ginny's last year as a student. He had to put up with teaching Ginny, whom he had then loved to. It was difficult on both of them for her to say "Professor Potter".

In the end, they made a compromise. Ginny instead, for the rest of the year, called him "Professor Harry." It was a plausible combination of school life, and home life. Harry had tried his best not to 'favourite-ize' her, and was positive he did a rather good job considering the circumstances. He had thought that he would have an easier year this time around, that was until he found out Ginny was a new member of the staff. He did, however, just barely think that, maybe (and only maybe) this might be the opportune moment to tell her how he felt…and get her to love him back.

You never know.

* * *

"Harry! Hey, Harry!" Harry whisked around to see Ginny striding up to him by the lake.

"Oh…uh…Hey Gin." He said, eyes downcast.

"I haven't seen you for a couple days now, what gives?"

"Nothing…just been busy is all."

"Right, whatever Harry. Well…Do you mind if I walk with you?"

'Yes, I do!'…"No, not at all Gin."

"Great." She smiled and joined him side by side as the slowly walked the length of the lake. He wasn't sure how, but they got into a discussion about Ginny's last year as a student.

"That was so funny; 'Professor Harry, sir!' Oi, that was very pathetic."

"Hmm…I agree. But at least this year at Hogwarts you can call me Harry again."

"I'll be looking forward to it."

"Indeed." He tried to grab hold of a different subject, "Did you get those lesson plans finished?"

"Yeah…thank the lord. The new term starts tomorrow."

"I know…and I'm only half looking forward to it."

"I'm so nervous! I have no clue what to do. I've got all kinds of magical creatures stored away for first day in those ramshackle sheds Hagrid put up."

"Don't worry you'll be fine. " he said, just as the sunset turned to it's most glorious point in the sky. By then they had reached the far end of the lake, and started heading back to Hogwarts. When the arrived at the door to Harry's chambers, he wasn't sure what to do. He knew what he _wanted_ to do; kiss her. But he didn't know if he should. But Harry was always a more kind of act-without-thinking kind of person. So it happened, that before he knew it, he lowered his head and brushed his lips lightly against Ginny's in a teasing kiss. Just as soon as it started, it stopped and he turned around and in a swirl of midnight blue robes he was gone inside his quarters.

Ginny stood there, barely letting herself believe. She ran her delicate fingers over her lips and sighed. As she walked back to her quarters, she was in a terribly giddy mood, and so it was that she didn't notice the small scuffle of feet and the piercing blue eyes following behind her.

A/N: Sorry about the shortness. Review and let me now if you want more. NO FLAMES!

OK....I'm sorry, but this story is getting DISCONTINUED. If you want to know whose eyes they were......E-MAIL me and i'll tel you. I may restart it again later after i've finished my other fics, but at the time being i am not really all that happy with this one. Sorry.


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